Reflector holder



May 23, 1933. J A MCKAY 1,910,348

REFLECTOR HOLDER Filed March 28. 1951 dbtowwa Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES rA'rnn-r -orFica JOHN A. MCKAY, OF COSHOCTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR' TO THE JONES-METAL PRODUCT COMPANY, OF WEST LAFAYETTE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO REFLECTOR HOLDER Application filed March 28, 1931. Serial No. 525,963.

This invention relates to reflector holders and more particularly to a device for firmly attaching a lamp shade or reflector to a lighting fixture. My device is well adapted for use under very severe conditions, such as in connection with outdoor advertising signs, and in buildings containing heavy machinery and where there is constant vibration, which would be apt to loosen some prior types of reflector holders.

A general object of my invention is to provide a simple and economical device for firmly holding a reflector to a fixture. Another object is to provide a weatherproof reflector holder. Another object is to provide a device in which the reflector maybe easily detached from the fixture or attached thereto. A further object is to provide a reflector holder, in which the reflector is held in. position by a simple type o f bayonet lock, and in which a furtherloclris providedto prevent the bayis to provide a reflector shoulder of the casting, by means of a screw ing to my loose. Another object holder in which the reflector may be firmly held in a number of diflerent positions. y

Briefly, a reflector holder, madeaccordinventiomcomprises a cup-shaped casting which is secured to the ordinary conduit or outlet fixture. \Vithin the central cavity of the cup-shaped casting, there is a round plug having an annular groove with inclined walls.

onet lock from jarring flange in registration with the tongues on the plug. Then the reflector is turned so as to cause the flange to overlie the tongues and thereafter the plug is raised sons to firmly clamp the reflector between the tongue and a extending through the walls of the casting and having a camming action on the inclined walls of the annulargroove in the plug.

This plug is heldinplace- W'llllllll the casting 1n such a manner as to Further details of the invention, and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent from thefollowing description thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation, partially broken away, and showing the reflector clamp in the holder. "Fig. 2 is an axial section through the clamping device, and showing the reflector in position, but before it has been clamped. Fig. 3 is a similar view, partially in section, and showing the reflector removed. Fig. 4' is a perspective of the reflector clamping plug, and Fig. 5 is. a perspective: of the upper portion of the reflector.

Referring now to drawings, the device may be supported in any convenient manner, as from a conduit 10, having a threaded end portion, which engages a threaded portion 11 of the cupshaped casting 12. Obviousl other means for supporting the casting coul d beemployed, such as a horiontal conduit, extending into a horiontal opening in'the casting. However,

the method of supporting the casting forms no part of my present invention.

At the termination of the threaded portion of the cup-shaped casting, the interior cavity is enlarged, as at 13. At the lower portion of the cavity the castingis again enlarged to form a shoulder 14, and a flange 15 depending from the shoulder, and which will assist in preventingmoisture and dirt from entering the interior of the holder, may also be provided.

Within the cylindrical cavity 13 of the cup-shaped casting, a cylindrical plug 16 see Fig. 4) is mounted. The plug is loosely mounted to allow a slight amount of vertical movement, but no rotational movement, as by screws 17 and 18, which are threaded into the casting. The screws may have cylindrical shanks, as indicated at 19 (Fig.2), and the heads of the screws may engage shoulders in cylindrical holes 20 in the plug. provided with an annular groove indicated at 25, and having a sloping or bevelled wall 26. To raise. and lower the plug, a thumb screw 27 is threaded through the wall of the casting in such a manner that the end of the;

The plug is Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the that I have. v holder for firmly and securely attaching a reinstance.

and s provided with a cylindrical upper portion 32, and an lnwardly extending s'ition.

'sition'ed and turned the screw 27 isturned inwardly, thus camscrew 28 engages the bevelled wall 26. it will be seen that by turning the screw 27 inwardly, the plug will be cammed upwardly by the action of the screw against the inclined wall. 7

It is Within the purpose of my invention to provide any coacting camming surface and cam which will move the plug longitudinally. Inasmuch as the plug. does not rotate, the caniming surface need not be an annular groove except that I have found that a convenient form to construct. The other coacting member need not be a screw. I may use any camming pair and where a screw is a not used I provide other locking means.

Inorder to support the reflector, the plug is provided with outwardly extending tongues 30, three beingishown in the present The reflector 31 may be enamelled flange 33, which is provided with cut-away portions, in-

dicated at 34, spaced to correspond to the tongues of'the'plug. In order to insert the reflector in *the holder, it'is slipped over the tongues with the openings in registration 1 with the tongues, and then the reflector is I turned'slightly,so that the flange 33 overlies the projecting tongues. The width of the tongue 30 and the openings34'is a small partof the circumference of the flange 33, so

that the reflector may assume any radial po- In' order to prevent the reflector from being turned too far, and thus coming into registration with 'the'tongues' again, lips 35 may be formed at the edges of the openings in the flange. After the reflector is poto the desired position,

ming the plug upwardly, thereby clamping the reflector flangebetw'e'en the plug and the casting,

and firmly holding the reflector against rotation. If desired, a washer 36 of fiber or other suitable material may be placed over the reflector flange to form acushion between the flange and the shoulder 14 of the v casting, to prevent chipping of the enamel on the reflector, and to and du'st-tightjoint.

The lamp bulb 40 may be mounted in a porcelain socket 41 of any ordinary type, which may be secured to the plug by means of screws 42 extending through openings in the socket and threadedinto the plug. Electricity may be supplied to the socket through wires 43 and 44, which extend through the supporting conduit and through the central opening 45 in the plug. These wires are secured to the socket contacts-by screws 46 and 47 in the usual manner. v I

From the foregoing description of a preferred form of my invention, it will be seen provided an extremely simple provide a water-proof flector to a lighting fixture. My holder can be constructed economically and the reflector can be easily and quickly inserted or removed. Also, the electrical connections are completely enclosed and the entire construction is water-proof and dust-tight. Furthermore, in my holderthe reflector may be secured in almost any desired position,a feature which is valuble when reflectors having other than circular shapes are employed.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cup-shaped member adapted to be supported from an electrical outlet and having a central cavity and a shoulder portion, a plug supported within the cavity of the cup-shaped member, means for supporting the plug to allow for a small amount of axial movement thereof and for preventing rotation thereof, said-plug having a eamming surface thereon, and said plug having projecting tongues at one end thereof, a reflector having a flangeportion, said flange portion being provided with openings corresponding to the tongues on said plug, whereby the reflector may he slipped over the tongues on said'plug-and turned so that the flanged portion overlies the tongues to support the reflector, and a screw extending through the walls of saidcasting and engaging the camming surface on theplug, whereby inward movement of the screw will cause the plug tobe moved in a direction to clamp the reflector flange between the tongues of the plug and the shoulder of the cup shaped member.

- 2. In combination, a cup-shaped member having a central opening, said opening being enlarged at one end thereof, to form a shoulder, a plug within the central cavity of the cup-shaped member, means for supporting the plug to prevent rotational movement, but to allow axial movement thereof, tongues f projecting from one edge of the plug and being disposed adjacent the shoulder of the cup-shaped member, a reflector having portions adapted to overlie said tongue and to be positioned between said tongues and said shoulder, and means extending through the wall of the cup-shaped member andengaging the plug to move the plug in a direction to clamp the reflector between the tongues and the shoulder. I

. 3. A reflector holder comprising in combination a'supporting member having a 'central cavity and an annular shoulder, a plug disposed within said central cavity, means for supporting the plug to allow a slight amount of vertical movement thereof, a bevelled surface of the plug, camming means extending through the wall of the supporting member and engaging said bevelled surface, whereby the plug may be raised and lowered, a reflector supporting lug extending outwardly from the plug and adjacent the annular shoulder of the supporting member,

iar sis tween the lugs and the'ann'ular shoulder, and

a "fiber washer disposed between the reflector flange and th-eannul'ar shoulder, thereby providing a. water and dust-tight-connec'tion.

at. A reflector holder comprising in oom bination a supporting "member having a central cavity and an annular shoulder, a plug disposed within said central cavity, means for supporting the plug to allow a slight amount or vertical movement thereof, and an' annular groove in the plug having a bevelled wall, and camming means extending through the wall of the supporting member and engaging said bevelled wall of the annular groove, whereby the plug may be raised and lowered, a reflector supporting lug extending outwardly from the plug and adjacent the annular shoulder of the supporting member, whereby upward movement of the plug will cause the lugs to clamp a reflector flange be tween the lugs and the annular shoulder.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a supporting member having a central cavity and a shoulder portion, a reflector supporting member supported within said central cavity and having reflector supporting lugs adjacent said shoulder portion, and an annular groove having a bevelled wall, a screw extending through the wall of the supporting member and engaging said bevelled wall, whereby inward movement of the screw will cause the reflector supporting lug to be moved towards the shoulder,

whereby a reflector may be clamped between the lugs and the shoulder.

6. In a reflector holding device, the combination of a member supported from an electrical outlet and having projecting tongues at one end thereof, a reflector having an an-. nular flanged portion, said flanged portion. being provided with openings corresponding.

to the tongues on the said member, the width or" said openings being a small part of the cir-- cum'ference of the annular flange, whereby V the reflector may be slipped over the tongues on said member and turned so that the uninprevent accidental rotation of the reflector.

7. In combination, a pair of coacting mem-,

bers, one member carrying shoulder portions and the other member carrying pro ections, a reflector having flanged portions adapted to overlie the projections, a camming surface on one of said members and means on the other of said members coacting with the camming surface, whereby the members are brought together longitudinally to hold the flanged portions between the projections and shoulder portions, and means for retaining the.

members in clamped relationship.

8. In a combined reflector holder and socket flector having a flangeadapted to lie between support ator an electric lam p, the combination ofthe fixed member in the form of a downwardly taci ngcu-p having an edge flange and a transverse-surface within the flange, a movable-member carried by the fixed member within said flange by means of studs screwed into the fined member and projecting downwardly and loosely occupying holes in the n lovable' member and having heads fat their lower ends, whereby the movable member is capable of limited movement toward and :from the fixed member, said movable member having projecting wings extendingbeneath thetm nsverse surface-oat the fixed member, a reflector having a :sleeve portion adapted to extend into the space bounded by said flange 'ofthe fixed member and provided with interrupted inturned flanges at its upper end, said reflector sleeve flanges being adapted to be passed between said wings of the movable member and then moved over them by rotary movement of the reflector sleeve, means apart from said studs for causing the movable member to approach the fixed member to clamp the reflector flanges between the wings of the movable member and said transverse surface of the fixed member, a downwardly extending socket and means for removably securing said socket to the movable member and said socket being adapted to stand within the sleeve of the reflector when the latter is in place.

9. A reflector holding device comprising in combination a member adapted to be support ed f-rom an electrical outlet and having a central opening and a flanged shoulder portion,

a plug disposed within said central opening ,and having projecting lugs adjacent said on the other of said members coacti-ng with the camming surface, said camming surface .and coacti-ng means being arranged to'move the members together, whereby the members may hold the flanged portions between the projections and shoulder portions.

, 11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a supporting member I havinga centralcavity and a shoulder, a plug having a sliding fit in the cavity and having projections disposed outside the cavity and ad acent the shoulder, a substantial portion of, the plug lying-within the cavity when the projections lie adjacent the shoulder, a rethe projectionsand theshoulder, and means acting, on onefside, of the plug for moving the supporting member and the plug together, 1

whereby the contact between, the plug and the wall of the cavity keeps the parts fromqamming.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of a member adapted to be supported from an electrical outlet, another member supported by the first member for longitudinal movement only, by pins carried by said first member and slidably engaglng the second mentioned'member, portions ofone member overlying portionsof the other member, a reflector having a flange adapted .to lie between the overlying portions of the I members, and means additional to said pins to clamp the members in contact with said flange. v

et support for electric 1amps,-a fixed member, a movable member, means for guiding the members relative to each other for slight longitudinal movement only, means upon the two members adapted to coact to hold the reflector therebetween', means for forcing the.

members into clamping relationship, and a lamp socket carried by the second member.

14. In a reflector holding device, the combination of a supporting member adapted to be attached to an electric outlet and having an annular shoulder, a socket for holding a lamp. a portion rigid with the socket and extendprojections' beneath said annular shoulder.

vertical screws carried by the supporting member and extending freely through means rigid'with the socket for preventing separation of the supporting member and socket while allowing the socket to move toward the supporting member, a reflector having an inturned flange adapted to overlie said projec-- tions and having spaces adapted to pass ben so yond the projections, and means for moving the socket toward the supporting member without turning said screws, whereby to clamp the flange of a reflector between the socket and supporting member.

15. In a reflector holding device, the com-- bination of a fixed member adapted to be supported on an electric outlet, a socket member,

: a portion-rigid with the socket and having projections beneath said fixed member, vertical screws carried by the fixed member, said socket member being mounted on said screws 13. .In a combined reflector holder and socknally to hold the flanged portions between the projections and the shoulder portions.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

I JOHN A. MoKAY.

35 'ing into the supporting member'and having 7 v to move freely for a shortdistance toward i and away from the fixed member, a reflector having a flange adapted to overlie said projections, and means for moving the socket member towardthe fixed member without turning said screws whereby to clamp the flange between the members.

' 16. In combination, a pair of coacting movable members attached together, one member carrying shoulder portions and the other 

